This invention relates to a multi-purpose bench frame designed mainly for woodworking. More particularly, it relates to a versatile and portable bench frame suitable for carrying out precision woodworking operations on relatively large articles or work pieces, safely and easily.
Common bench frames for precision woodworking, which are accessible to the financial and space limitations of small professional woodworkers or hobbyists, usually are incapable of handling large or even fairly large articles or work pieces, such as panels and/or doors which may have dimensions of 4 feet by 8 feet.
Known bench frames commonly comprise a bench having a horizontal work table top for supporting a work piece and having either one of the following two types of general structures:
(I) A selected tool is mounted beneath the work table, making accessibility difficult for tool-changing purposes. Moreover, the relatively small size of the work table and of the work guide or fence are usually inadequate to properly and safely support or guide large work pieces. Such benches do lend themselves to built-on additional support, but necessitate knowledge, effort and materials to make such additional support. Frames of this type, however, are not readily transportable and the addition of additional support makes them even less transportable.
(II) A single cantilever beam is mounted over the middle of the table top, through a single telescopic column which is mounted to the middle of the rear edge of the table top. A selected power tool, such as the motor and carriage assembly of a radial arm saw, is slidably mounted on the cantilever beam to perform various woodworking or other operations. Like (i) above, this second type of frame does not provide adequate support or guide for the safe and accurate handling of large materials. Furthermore, it suffers from the serious disadvantage of lending itself poorly to the addition of additional support. Firstly, the telescopic column must be positioned at the centre of the rear edge of the table top, where it interferes with large or even fairly large work pieces. Secondly, the cantilever beam cannot be lengthened appreciably, because it is supported only at one end. Despite its limited size, this type of bench frame also is not readily transportable.
Industrial bench frames are capable of handling large work pieces. However, they are expensive and cannot be afforded by small professional woodworkers and/or hobbyists. Moreover, they are large and require space which small professionals and hobbyists do not have. Additionally, they are not transportable.
Known stands, cradles and benches are available for mounting different selected power tools thereon, for the performance of various woodworking operations. Normally, they allow only one power tool to be mounted thereon at a time. In order to perform different operations, one tool must be removed for a different tool to be mounted. Thus, such stands require the user to disengage, lift, carry, position and adjust what, often, are relatively heavy pieces of equipment, components or adapters. Moreover and apart from the need for additional space on the job site to accommodate such tools, components or adapters, such equipment often becomes scattered around the job site, becomes difficult to locate, and in fact presents a hazard to the user in that it obstructs the user's movement about the job site.